The terrain of the tower changes depending on the master of the trial.
If the goblin dens we encountered up to the 10th floor were considered "caves,"
The scenery unfolding before us on the 11th floor and beyond was a "jungle."
"Wow!"
Rox spread his arms wide and took a deep breath.
Kicking the dirt under his feet in disbelief, he said, "It's a complete forest?"
"I told you, from here on, it's an expansive jungle."
"But... how can there be such a place inside the tower? It didn't look that big from the outside!"
Those who haven't made it this far find it hard to understand the words of someone experienced with the tower.
The tower doesn't appear to have enough space for a "jungle" when viewed from the outside. But experiencing it firsthand makes the meaning clear.
"It's a different space."
"A different space?"
"I'll explain later. From here on, it's easy to get lost, so stay close."
"Uh, okay."
I quietly drew my sword and responded, "Remember what I said before we came in?"
"About what?"
"Turn everything into marionettes if demons appear."
"Oh, don't worry. That's no problem at all. But are there demons here?"
"Plenty. Too many to count."
Rox quickly scanned the surroundings and asked, "Huh, I've never heard of demons living in a forest."
"Of course not. Very few know their true nature."
"Really?"
"Yeah, those who find out either die, or the survivors don't think of them as demons."
"...I have no idea what you're talking about. Are you going to tell me to experience it again?"
I gave a short nod.
Rox shrugged and led the way.
Step, step, step.
Cynthia and her party members followed closely behind us, their expressions tense.
Thus, we began exploring the jungle, and it didn't take long for darkness to settle over the forest.
The ground started to become damp from somewhere, and at the same time, we felt the presence of something following us from not far away.
Without needing an explanation, everyone started to be on guard.
"Verdin, I think someone is nearby," Cynthia was the first to speak.
"Yeah, they've been following us since we entered the tower."
"I didn't notice then."
"They were few in number and kept their distance carefully."
"...So now there are many following us?"
"That's right. At least a hundred."
"And you're ignoring them even though you know?"
"Yes, if we make the first move, we can't lure out the 'demons.'"
Although everyone was on edge, they didn't notice that the enemies were constantly near us.
One, in particular, had gotten close enough to pass right next to my foot, following us through the ground.
I focused a small amount of aura into my palm and said to Rox, "The demons are here."
"Already?"
"Yes, remember the plan?"
"Of course. I just hide behind you and catch the ones that try to escape, right?"
"Right. Don't let a single one get away. If we fail, we'll have to wait until tomorrow, so don't make any mistakes."
"Got it."
Today, our purpose in coming to the tower was not climbing.
It was simply to solve the S-rank quest received from the adventurer's guild and to unlock a new hidden piece for the subsequent climbs.
Rumble, rumble.
The ground trembled.
The torch Rox was holding started to dim, swallowed by the darkness.
At the same time, Cynthia chanted a holy spell, enchanting Yuda's and Alfredo's weapons with magic.
Sssshhh!
Yuda's sword and Alfredo's knuckles glowed white.
They were ready for battle, scanning the surroundings.
I placed the aura in my hand on the ground and told them, "Your mission is to survive. Don't try to defeat the enemies, focus on protecting yourselves."
With that, I unleashed the aura.
Boom!
The ground cracked like a spiderweb, and from the gaps emerged ants the size of dogs.
These creatures were the smallest monsters we would encounter in the jungle, yet far stronger than any monster we had faced before.
With jaws as hard as steel and teeth sharp enough to crush rocks,
And stingers capable of paralyzing limbs for more than half a day with a single sting, they were formidable foes for any adventurer in the jungle.
-Screeech!
The ants let out strange noises and charged at us.
"Come forth, demons of my jungle."
* * *
Moncle, who arrived late, climbed the tallest tree in the jungle.
He knew the way to the next floor, but his purpose here was to monitor Verdin's party.
"Where did they go?"
Moncle took out a small telescope from his pocket and scanned the forest.
No matter how vast the jungle, there were very few adventurers wandering the 11th floor.
"Found them!"
It didn't take long for him to locate Verdin's party.
Not only were they emitting a bright light in the dark forest, but their strong presence could be felt even without the telescope, revealing their direction.
"...This is dangerous."
Moncle frowned deeply.
Through his telescope, he saw that Verdin's party was in danger.
Countless ant monsters were surrounding them.
These monsters weren't the common ones found outside the tower; they were mutants, strengthened by the special powers of those called apostles.
Each ant here had the strength of what would be classified as a "mid-tier monster" outside the tower.
One could easily be caught off guard by appearances alone.
Moncle hesitated.
'Should I help?'
It hadn't been long since they ascended to the 11th floor, and they already stumbled upon a mutant ant army.
'Damn.'
If I intervene now, I could escape from the enemy.
But those guys won't get to experience the danger here.
If this incident becomes known later, Lord Lois might punish me.
For robbing them of a growth opportunity, that is.
"Ha ha ha!"
A black-haired old man in a black martial arts uniform who had followed Moncle laughed heartily, stroking his beard.
"I heard there were some impressive guys, so I came to see, but it looks like they're already about to die?"
"Indeed. I heard rumors of their great skills, but..."
"Is that little kid really Lois's son?"
"Yes, I've been to the main house once before when I was summoned. I saw him sitting next to the Lord then."
Moncle paused the conversation, took a deep breath, and calmed his energy.
Grabbing the hilt of the sword strapped to his waist, he continued, "Back then, Gunther and Hysteria were still alive... I didn't get a chance to talk to him because I was busy."
The old man nodded slightly.
"Well, with Lois, Gunther, and Hysteria around, having three monstrous individuals nearby would make anyone nervous."
"There were four."
"Four?"
"Yes, there was also Valentine."
The old man flinched and his pupils dilated when Valentine's name was mentioned.
"Did she show her face? I heard she didn't visit the castle when Gunther and Hysteria were around."
"I was also surprised to see her. I heard she wouldn't come even if the Lord summoned her directly. But she came to the castle for an absurd reason."
"An absurd reason?"
"I heard she came to meet her youngest sibling."
"What? A sibling?"
"Yes."
The old man clicked his tongue.
"Are you joking? The woman known as the Reaper came all the way from the west to the south just to see her sibling?"
"...I didn't hear it directly from Valentine. It was passed on by a butler, so it might not be accurate."
Moncle scratched the back of his head, embarrassed. Even he thought it was a ridiculous story.
Valentine, known as the Red Assassin in the west, a dangerous figure, moving just to see her sibling?
"Ha ha ha!"
The old man couldn't contain his laughter.
He thought the story he just heard was one of the absurd rumors circulating in the Strange castle.
No matter how fearsome Valentine was, she was still a woman, and he thought she might be trying to create a softer image for future engagements.
Boom!
A loud noise was heard.
Moncle and the old man simultaneously turned their gazes towards Verdin.
There, Verdin had thrown off his cloak and was wielding a sword longer than his height, effortlessly slashing through the ants.
"Moncle, are my eyes deceiving me?"
They couldn't hide their amazement at the battle between Verdin's party and the mutant ants.
They had assumed Verdin's party would either be defeated, flee, or meet their end shortly.
"...No."
Moncle murmured.
Could this truly be a human's battle?
It was astonishing to see Verdin slicing through a dozen or so mutant ants, as hard as steel, as if cutting through water.
"How old did you say he was?"
"Eight."
"Eight? Then he hasn't even graduated from the academy?"
"Correct."
The old man couldn't help but marvel at Verdin's swordsmanship.
He had expected a high level of swordsmanship from someone with the name of Strange, but this was extraordinary.
'Amazing.'
It was as if Verdin was not merely swinging his sword to cut down enemies but performing a dance, displaying beautiful movements as if by a dancer.
'Beautiful.'
How much effort must one put in to reach such a level? No, that was an area of talent that couldn't be achieved by effort alone.
It was a transcendent talent, one he hadn't seen in over a hundred years of life, surpassing human limits.
"Do you still want to fight Verdin?"
Moncle asked cautiously.
The old man shook his head immediately and replied, "No."
"Do you think you'd lose?"
"Me, to that kid? Ha ha, no way! I just... don't want to pluck an unbloomed flower."
"An unbloomed flower?"
"Yes, if he matures a bit more, we could have a more enjoyable match. There's no need to rush it now, is there?"
"You're saying you're waiting for Dean to get stronger."
"Exactly. With that kind of talent, it shouldn't take too long."
Moncle smiled slightly and responded, "Well, you waited before challenging Valentine too."
"That... she was an exception. Now, no one can beat her, right?"
"Indeed. So, what will you do? The battle seems to be ending soon."
"I'll be heading back. You can handle the rest."
"When should I call you again?"
"Let me know when he reaches the 20th floor."
"The 20th floor? That could take at least a year."
"I can wait. That kid is worth it."
Thus, their conversation ended.
The old man left.
Moncle continued to watch Verdin's party's battle from the tree.
'An unbloomed flower.'
How strong would Dean become when he finally bloomed?
"So strong already."
Rumble, rumble.
The ground shook violently.
Birds perched on trees far from the battlefield took to the sky.
Chirp, chirp, chirp!
Moncle sensed a malevolence he had never felt before in the jungle. He instinctively hid, overcome by an unknown fear.
'...Run, Verdin.'
That guy had arrived.